Joint for metallic sheets.



C. C. FOUTS.

JOINT FOR METALLIC SHEETS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 24. I914- Patented Oct. 5, 1915.

TIIIIIII/flll Inventor LU 2/2.

Attorney Witnesses: *5 20 M an rare.

CALVIN C. FOUTS, OF MIDDLETOWN, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE C. C. FOUTS COMPANY, OF

' MIDDLETOWN, OHIO.

JOINT FOR METALLIC SHEETS.

specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 5, 19115.

' To all whom it may concern:

angles from one of the Be it known that I, CALVIN C. Fours, a citizen of the United States, residing at Middletown, Butler countyfOhio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Joints for Metallic Sheets, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the construction of'joints for the uniting of metal sheets as, for instance, where a number of sheets are to be united to form a tank. Sheet metal tanks or the like are often constructed of rings formed of sheets united by vertically disposed joints, a tier of such rings being united by horizontal joints, the jointsbeing of such character as to produce water-tight- 11858;

My invention will be readily understood from the following description taken in conngptifin with the accompanying drawing in w 10 Figure 1, is a transverse section through the joint in the plane of line a of Fig. 2. Fig. 2, a side elevation at the joint, part appearing in horizontal section in the plane of line b of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a plan of the washerbar when a single bar forms a number of the washers; Fig.4, a transverse section of the same in the plane of line -c"of Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 a perspective view .of one of the clamping devices shown in dissected condition.

In the drawing :-1, indicates one of the sheets which is to have its edge joined to the edge of a second sheet; 2, the second sheet; 3, a flat flange projecting at right projecting at right angles from the companlon sheet, this flange having a widthsubstantially the same as that of flange 3; 5, a gutter or groove extending longitudinally in that surface of flange 4 which comes in contact with flange 3; 6, the shores of the gutter,v these shores making contact with flange 3; 7, packing material, which may be cement or fibrous material disposedin the I gutter between the flanges; 8, washers disthe 'gutteredsheet, at.

posed surface of the gutter, leavlng a clearposed at intervals against the'exposed side of flange 4, this washer having in its facea concavity to bridge freely over the convex portion of the gutter, and having at each side of the concavity bearing ribs to engage each side of the exance between the washer andthe center of make, substantially,

sheets; 4., a flange those shores come in contact with the opposite flange. The bolts and washers are now applied and the members of the joint drawn firmly together. This action compresses the packing material and squashes it out sidewise forming a water-tight joint. At the same time the shores of the gutter a metal to metal contact with the opposite flange, thus producing a very desirable stifl'ness at the joint. The

concavity of one of the flanges very materially stiifens that flange, a feature of high importance in a sheet metal joint where firmness .of clamping is dependent upon clamp-bolts spaced some distance apart. Flange 3 might, if desired, be also guttered to increase its stiflness, though this flange will be satisfactorily stiflened if provided with a skirt-flange 10. If flange 3 is guttered the concavity of the. gutter should present itself toward the concavity of gutter 5 so that there is room for the s eallng material and at the same time a capaclty for the two flanges to make a substantially metal to metal contact at the sides of the sealing.

In the building up of cylindrical metallic structures, such as tanks formed of horizontal courses with flanged joints between them, the vertical straightness of the general structure is dependent upon the accuracy with which the metal has been formed at the joints. If sealing material could be applied of uniform thickness between the horizontal joint flanges all the way around the tank the accuracy provided by the metal worker would be maintained, but if the sealing material is thicker at one place than another so as to interfere with the metal parts fairly meeting each other, the vertical trueness ofthe general structure may be lost as the evils at the successive horizontal joints may accumulate." In my construction a'tank of the class referred to may be erected by 'truth of form of the structure.

I claim In a joint for metallic sheets, a sheet having a flat flange turned out at right angles at its edge, a companion sheet having a flangeturned out at right angles at its edge and provided With a longitudinal central gutter in said flange, the face of said guttered flange at each side of the gutter engaging said'flat flange, sealing material disposed Within said gutter, Washers disposed against the outer surface of the guttered flange and having their faces concaved to permit them 15 to freely straddle the back of the gutter and bear on the back of the guttered flange at each side of the gutter, and clamping bolts passing through the flanges and packing and washers, combined substantiall as set forth. 2

CALVIN FOUTS. Witnesses W. F. HARRISON, DOROTHY S. HARRISON. 

